Exclusivity clauses in zero hour contracts banned from today May 25, 2015 New rules banning exclusivity clauses in zero hours contracts come into effect today, stopping employers from preventing hourly staff from working for another employer. The new provisions were first introduced under the last government, and championed by former business secretary Vince Cable. They were passed into law under the small business, enterprise and employment bill, [...]
National Waiters’ Day: Unions protest outside Pizza Express, Grosvenor House Marriot Hotel over low pay May 21, 2015 Waiting staff are out on protest today in central London over low pay and claims that Pizza Express management are “pocketing an estimated £1m that should go to poorly paid staff”. Unite the union is organising the event, which began at midday on National Waiters' Day, outside the Leicester Square branch of Pizza Express. [...]
Zero hours contracts: A godsend for high-flying professionals May 19, 2015 The professions are not well-known for the flexibility of their working environments. But with technology allowing employees to work remotely, and staff wanting to juggle family life or keep a work/life balance, many employers are finding that their employees want more innovative solutions. Flexibility can benefit employees, the employer and clients. Advantages can include: a [...]
UK tech boom leads to surge in young directors setting up firms May 17, 2015 The UK boasts over 26,000 directors aged 21 or under as the boom in tech startups continues to propel young talent to the top of the corporate ladder. The new research, released today by professional services consultancy Procore, praises the UK “raising a generation of entrepreneurs.” Procore identifies the increasing role of technology in the [...]
UK house prices: What effect does the unemployment rate have on the cost of a home? May 17, 2015 Average house prices in the twenty local authorities with the highest rate of unemployment have risen by just £4,100 since 2009, while low unemployment areas have risen by an average of £65,000, according to analysis from Lloyds. The figures The raw numbers translate to increases of 25 per cent for the areas with the lowest [...]
A tale of two economies: Why the Bank of England risks a sharp hike in interest rates May 13, 2015 We were offered two conflicting views of the UK economy yesterday, from the monthly Labour Market Statistics and the Bank of England’s quarterly Inflation Report. The Labour Market Statistics presented a picture of a booming economy and accelerating wage inflation. Unemployment has fallen by about 400,000 over the past year and the jobless rate [...]
Wage growth jumps again while unemployment falls to another post-financial crisis low May 13, 2015 Average weekly wages excluding bonuses rose by an inflation-busting 2.2 per cent in March, official figures published this morning showed – a welcome relief for consumers. Read more: Bank of England cuts UK growth forecasts Meanwhile, unemployment fell to another post-financial crisis low of 5.5 per cent (that's the best figure since July 2008), while [...]
Outlook for UK wage growth still bleak despite rising job prospects May 10, 2015 Job prospects are improving but UK wage growth is likely to remain weak this year as companies continue to find no shortage of employees to recruit at current pay levels, the professional body for HR managers warned today. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), said falling inflation together with low job turnover and [...]
If you’re a woman, experience doesn’t seem to count for much – a man is still more likely to win the top job May 7, 2015 Women's struggle to be taken as seriously as men at work appears to be far from over. It turns out that even with more leadership experience than their male competitors, they're still likely to be overlooked for the top jobs. This is the conclusion a group of researchers at the University of Kent came [...]
City pay revolts make a return: Investors are once again feeling uneasy about executive rewards May 6, 2015 Three years on from the so-called “shareholder spring” and listed hedge fund Man Group is again facing murmurs of discontent from investors over pay. The FTSE 250 group, led by chief executive Manny Roman, has put forward a plan to boost executive pay rewards and make it “competitive in the marketplace”. However influential advisory firm [...]